Trending: Where the Horses Live

Every year at this time, the nation watches as America’s elite race horses and jockeys gather at Churchill Downs in Kentucky for the annual running of the Kentucky Derby. But you don’t have to live in Kentucky to be a horse enthusiast — there are hundreds of horse farms right here in Connecticut.

We checked out the USDA’s most recent Census, which counted up the number of farms with horses and ponies in every ZIP code across Connecticut to see where the horses play. Truth be told, there aren’t all that many towns in Southwestern Connecticut with horse farms in the count (the heaviest populated horse town is Lebanon, Conn., upstate, where there are a total of 35 horse farms in the 06249 ZIP code), but we did find 14 ZIPs in our area with horse farms on the count. Check out the slideshow to see where you’re most likely to run into horseplay in Southwestern Connecticut.

Photo: Tyler Sizemore / Tyler Sizemore

Image 1of/15

Caption

Close

Image 1 of 15

No. 14: Stamford, 06903
According to the USDA's most recent Census of horses, this ZIP code has one farm with horses or ponies in their inventory.
Brigit Huwyler, of Stamford, rides her horse, Draumur, on the trails at Huntington State Park in Redding, Conn. on Saturday, April 27, 2013. The 1017-acre park saw lots of activity on the trails and ponds with Saturday's warm, sunny weather. The nice weather is expected to continue through the week. less

No. 14: Stamford, 06903
According to the USDA's most recent Census of horses, this ZIP code has one farm with horses or ponies in their inventory.
Brigit Huwyler, of Stamford, rides her horse, Draumur, on ... more

Photo: Tyler Sizemore / Tyler Sizemore

Image 2 of 15

No. 10 (Tie): Greenwich, 06807
According to the USDA's most recent Census of horses, this ZIP code has two farms with horses or ponies in their inventory.
Dr. Christian Whitney and his daughter, Alexa, 4, of Greenwich, pose for a photograph next to a carriage horse during the fourth annual Holiday Stroll Weekend in Greenwich on Sunday, Dec. 2, 2012. Whitney is a doctor at Greenwich Hospital. less

No. 10 (Tie): Greenwich, 06807
According to the USDA's most recent Census of horses, this ZIP code has two farms with horses or ponies in their inventory.
Dr. Christian Whitney and his daughter, Alexa, 4, ... more

Photo: Amy Mortensen / Amy Mortensen

Image 3 of 15

No. 10 (Tie): Wilton, 06897
According to the USDA's most recent Census of horses, this ZIP code has two farms with horses or ponies in their inventory.

No. 10 (Tie): Wilton, 06897
According to the USDA's most recent Census of horses, this ZIP code has two farms with horses or ponies in their inventory.

Photo: Arnold Media / Getty Images

Image 4 of 15

No. 10 (Tie): Weston, 06883
According to the USDA's most recent Census of horses, this ZIP code has two farms with horses or ponies in their inventory.

No. 10 (Tie): Weston, 06883
According to the USDA's most recent Census of horses, this ZIP code has two farms with horses or ponies in their inventory.

Image 5 of 15

No. 10 (Tie): Trumbull, 06611
According to the USDA's most recent Census of horses, this ZIP code has two farms with horses or ponies in their inventory.
A woman stroking the muzzles of two horses in a paddock on an organic farm. less

No. 10 (Tie): Trumbull, 06611
According to the USDA's most recent Census of horses, this ZIP code has two farms with horses or ponies in their inventory.
A woman stroking the muzzles of two horses in a ... more

Photo: Mint Images - Tim Pannell / Getty Images

Image 6 of 15

No. 5 (Tie): Southport, 06890
According to the USDA's most recent Census of horses, this ZIP code has three farms with horses or ponies in their inventory.
A horse-drawn carriage takes passengers to the shore and back at the Pequot Library in Southport during the community Christmas carol sing-along. less

No. 5 (Tie): Southport, 06890
According to the USDA's most recent Census of horses, this ZIP code has three farms with horses or ponies in their inventory.
A horse-drawn carriage takes passengers to the ... more

Photo: Lindsay Niegelberg / ST

Image 7 of 15

No. 5 (Tie): New Canaan, 06840
According to the USDA's most recent Census of horses, this ZIP code has three farms with horses or ponies in their inventory.
Bedford, NY_051803_Gabriel Kavookjian of New Canaan, center, gives his horse, Champ, a kiss, after finishing a ride during the Pegasus Horse Show. Volunteers Sue Brubaker, left, and Stephanie Antoxzewski, assisted Kavookjian on his ride. The event took place at Coker Farm in Bedford, NY. Kerry Sherck/Staff photo less

No. 5 (Tie): New Canaan, 06840
According to the USDA's most recent Census of horses, this ZIP code has three farms with horses or ponies in their inventory.
Bedford, NY_051803_Gabriel Kavookjian of New ... more

Photo: KERRY SHERCK / ST

Image 8 of 15

No. 5 (Tie): Greenwich, 06831
According to the USDA's most recent Census of horses, this ZIP code has three farms with horses or ponies in their inventory.
Isabelle Mann, 15, of Greenwich, kisses Night and Day at the Greenwich Riding and Trails Associationís 90th annual Greenwich Horse Show at the estate of Mr. and Mrs. Gerrish Milliken on Pierson Drive, in Greenwich, Sunday, June 12, 2011. less

No. 5 (Tie): Greenwich, 06831
According to the USDA's most recent Census of horses, this ZIP code has three farms with horses or ponies in their inventory.
Isabelle Mann, 15, of Greenwich, kisses Night and ... more

Photo: Helen Neafsey / Greenwich Time

Image 9 of 15

No. 5 (Tie): Stratford, 06614
According to the USDA's most recent Census of horses, this ZIP code has three farms with horses or ponies in their inventory.

No. 5 (Tie): Stratford, 06614
According to the USDA's most recent Census of horses, this ZIP code has three farms with horses or ponies in their inventory.

Photo: Hedda Gjerpen / Getty Images

Image 10 of 15

No. 5 (Tie): Milford, 06460
According to the USDA's most recent Census of horses, this ZIP code has three farms with horses or ponies in their inventory.

No. 5 (Tie): Milford, 06460
According to the USDA's most recent Census of horses, this ZIP code has three farms with horses or ponies in their inventory.

Photo: Mary Hockenbery / Getty Images/Flickr RF

Image 11 of 15

No. 3 (Tie): Greenwich, 06830
According to the USDA's most recent Census of horses, this ZIP code has four farms with horses or ponies in their inventory.
Riders including Evan Bergeron on Frankly My Dear, center, gather to watch the action in the ring during the Greenwich Riding And Trails Association's 56th Annual A Day in the Country Horse Show in Milliken Field on Peirson Drive on Saturday, Sept. 26, 2009. less

No. 3 (Tie): Greenwich, 06830
According to the USDA's most recent Census of horses, this ZIP code has four farms with horses or ponies in their inventory.
Riders including Evan Bergeron on Frankly My Dear, ... more

Photo: Keelin Daly / Greenwich Time

Image 12 of 15

No. 3 (Tie): Fairfield, 06824
According to the USDA's most recent Census of horses, this ZIP code has four farms with horses or ponies in their inventory.
A local horseback rider told the Parks and Recreation Commission it may need to ban horses from Penfield Beach on the weekends because it is getting too crowded. less

No. 3 (Tie): Fairfield, 06824
According to the USDA's most recent Census of horses, this ZIP code has four farms with horses or ponies in their inventory.
A local horseback rider told the Parks and ... more

Photo: Genevieve Reilly / Genevieve Reilly

Image 13 of 15

No. 2: Easton, 06612
According to the USDA's most recent Census of horses, this ZIP code has fivefarms with horses or ponies in their inventory.
Kirsten Gray, far right, teaches in the indoor arena of her farm, Gray Friesian Farm, in Easton, Conn. on Sunday, February 26, 2012. Gray and her husband, Leeland, are suing the town of Easton for over regulating their farm while allowing other horse farms in the area to be non-complaint. Riding horses are Elizabeth O'Brien, 17, left, and Jannike Gray, 18. less

No. 2: Easton, 06612
According to the USDA's most recent Census of horses, this ZIP code has fivefarms with horses or ponies in their inventory.
Kirsten Gray, far right, teaches in the indoor arena of her ... more

Photo: B.K. Angeletti / B.K. Angeletti

Image 14 of 15

No. 1: Orange, 06477
According to the USDA's most recent Census of horses, this ZIP code has eight farms with horses or ponies in their inventory, making it the most densely populated town in Southwestern Connecticut for horse farms.
Don Clark, Orange, tends to horses Elwood, left, and Jake as they rest between hayrides at Cove Island Park in Stamford, CT on Sat., Dec. 3, 2011. This is the twelfth year the ticketed event has been offered by Stamford Recreation Services. The horses and carriage are from Maple View Farm in Orange. less

No. 1: Orange, 06477
According to the USDA's most recent Census of horses, this ZIP code has eight farms with horses or ponies in their inventory, making it the most densely populated town in Southwestern ... more